New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing criticism for appearing in a Netflix documentary about allegations against seven men connected to Cornell University. The case is under renewed investigation, but none of the men has been criminally charged.
In October, Hochul signed an executive order naming state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor. In the newly released documentary, “Instadocs: Jane Doe v. Cornell,” Hochul discusses her reaction to the allegations and the way they were handled.
“My first reaction was, how disgusting, not again. You feel like, not again,” she said.
Hochul also recalled her time as an undergraduate at Syracuse University in the late 1970s. She said a series of rapes occurred during her first week on campus, creating a sense of anxiety. She described the broader culture as one that “has never changed.”
On the Cornell case, Hochul said the number of people involved and the seriousness of the allegations would have prompted someone to contact local police quickly. She also said it was important for people to have confidence in the process.
The allegations became widely known after Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit naming seven members of the university’s Chi Phi fraternity, Cornell, her sorority and others. She alleges she was drugged and gang-raped at a fraternity house in 2024.
Doe filed the lawsuit nearly two years after first reporting her allegations to local authorities. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said prosecutors and investigators reviewed her statement and concluded that the facts described did not amount to a crime.
Donna Rotunno, a criminal defense attorney and Fox News contributor, criticized Hochul’s decision to appear in the documentary. Rotunno argued that the governor’s comments could deepen concerns about whether the case is being handled fairly.
“The governor can say anything she wants about anything. The question is, should she?” Rotunno said, adding that there was already “the air of impropriety.”
Rotunno also questioned why Hochul intervened two years after the allegations were first reported, calling the timing “suspect.” If the governor had been closely following events in Ithaca and elsewhere in New York, Rotunno said, the case should have been on her radar earlier.
Asked why Hochul agreed to take part in the documentary, a spokesperson said governors regularly speak with news and media organizations about issues of significant public interest.
